Levi Jacobs netted a season and career-best 27 points, leading the East Providence High School boys' basketball team to an important 81-60 victory on the road over North Kingstown Thursday night, Feb. 1, in a Division I outing.

The win was the eighth for the Townies in league play, who are attempting to solidify their rank in both the D-I playoff standings and the upcoming Open State Championship Tournament.

EP improved 8-6, which had them in sixth place in the league standings and comfortably in the D-I tournament. Getting into the Open Tourney this year will be tougher for a lot of teams, the qualifying field having been reduced from 16 to just 12. As of play this weekend, 16 teams had eight or more power points in the Open Tourney standings. Teams are awarded points based on the following win formula: 1 for Division I, .8 for Division II and .6 for Division III.

"We needed this win. It was a good win, almost a must-win for us in terms of the Open Tournament," EPHS head coach Joe Andrade said of the victory over North Kingstown, which fell to 5-9 in D-I with the loss.

Andrade added the key for the Townies was his side's offensive execution against the Skippers' zone defense and keeping the NK shooters, like leading scorer Michael DeOrsey, in check from behind the 3-point arc.

More NK notes
Jacobs dropped the game's first bucket, seconds into the opening period. The locals would never trail the entire way. He finished the initial eight minutes with six points and helped the Townies build a 17-12 by quarter's end.

East Providence's edge would be six at halftime, 36-30. Franklin Lopez drained a 3 just prior to the break to account for the final points before intermission.

The Townies took command of the contest in the third period, outscoring the host Skippers 21-12 to build a sizable 57-42 heading into the final stanza. Jacobs added six more points in the quarter, to go along with the five he had in the second.

EP's lead reached double figures for the first time, 42-32, on a short jump-hook by center Kenaz Ochgwu just over two minutes out of the break. Sophomore Jaydason Barros' layup in the final seconds accounted for the last hoop of the period.

Jacobs, as he did to begin the game, scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, followed by a 3 from Barros to immediately give the Townies their first 20-point lead of the night, 62-42, seconds into final period. He finished with 10 in the period. The margin reached a night-high of 24, 81-57, on two Antonio Varela free throws as time wound down.

Jacobs, a senior who missed the last two seasons with consecutive serious knee injuries, also led the Townies with 11 rebounds in the game, nine on the offensive glass. Ochgwu was the only other local to reach double figures scoring with 13. Christian Torres had nine. Derrell Liggins and Barros each had seven. Brandyn Van Wagner chipped in six.

"I thought overall the team played well. Obviously we did a good job of feeding Levi the ball and he was a monster on the backboards. He had a huge game. I'm happy for him. And Kenaz played well as did our guards," Andrade added.

East Providence has just four league games left on its regular season slate, beginning with a matinee Saturday, Feb. 3, at Cranston East. Tip time is 1 p.m.

EPHS girls' notes
The EPHS girls' basketball team returned to Division I play earlier this week with a 36-19 loss on the road to Ponaganset in North Scituate. The Chieftains improved to 9-4 in the league standings while the locals fell to 2-11.

Ponaganset raced to a 9-0 lead and didn't look back. Harmonie McDowell's runner from the baseline accounted for the Townies' only hoop of the opening period. They trailed 12-2 heading into the second. The Chieftains held a 15-8 lead at intermission. Trinity Provencher and Zarae Hall netted the hoops for EPHS before the break. Ponaganset broke open the game in the third, using a 13-0 run to pull away. A 3-pointer concluded the spree and gave the hosts a 28-10 at the time.

Hall finished the night with six points. McDowell and Provencher had five apiece. Nadiyah Calouro-Vargas accounted for the other three EP points.

The Townies return to action Friday night, Feb. 2, in Pawtucket against St. Raphael at 6:30. EP edged the Saints 32-29 in their first meeting of the season back in early January.